Hospital patient found with drugs

A MAN who told hospital staff he still had a stash of heroin in his pocket following an overdose has appeared before the courts.

Ian Farnworth, 31, pleaded guilty to possession of the class A drug and two bail act offences before Wigan Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Katie McFarlane, prosecuting, told how the defendant collapsed after injecting heroin into his arm on January 5 at a friend’s house after drinking “three or four glasses of cider”.

He was then taken to hospital, where he admitted to paramedics and security staff he still had a stash of the class A drug in his pocket.

Farnworth, who was still subject to the terms of a conditional discharge at the time, produced two syringes containing brown fluid when asked to empty his pockets by police a short time later.

Tests proved that both syringes contained heroin.

In interview, Farnworth, previously of Platt Bridge but now of Recreation Street, St Helens, told police he had bought a £10 bag of heroin for his own use earlier that day and was being treated for anxiety and depression following the deaths of his mother and father.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to failing to surrender to Wigan Police Station and Wigan Magistrates’ Court after he was released on bail.

Bill Pearson, defending Farnworth, told the court that this was the first time his client had ever used heroin.

Magistrates handed Farnworth a nine-month community order in which he must complete a six-month alcohol treatment programme.